MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: India remained the largest source of international students in the US in 2024-25, with 3,63,019 students registered on American campuses – a 10% rise over last year. The increase is slower than 2023-24’s dizzying 23% jump.Tougher visa scrutiny, longer appointment queues and jitters over work-visa routes have done little to dent India’s presence on American campuses. China, once the unchallenged frontrunner, continued to slide for the fifth straight year, this time by 4% to touch 2,65,919 students. Overall, international student enrolment in the US from across the globe dropped 7% and early signals hint at gathering headwinds. The Fall 2025 Snapshot reports a 1% dip in overall international numbers and a 17% plunge in new arrivals.
Indian students spent a total of $14 billion for their education, stay and other expenses in the US, almost matching China’s spend of $14.6 billion, the highest by any nation. In 2023-24, Indians had spent $11.8 billion.In 2024-25, undergraduate enrolments (see box) from India rose 11%, but graduate numbers, traditionally India’s strongest stream, fell 9.5%. Optional Practical Training, that allows graduates to gain practical work experience after academic study, surged 47%. Globally, the number of new international students entering US institutions in the Fall of 2024 fell 7%, with new undergraduates up 5% but new graduate entrants down 15%. Data on Indian students showed that 63% enrolled in public institutions and 37% opted for private institutes. They mostly went to campuses in Texas, New York, Massachusetts, California and Illinois.
Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan told TOI, “Wherever Indian students go, they excel – not by chance, but by capability and character.” He added, “Our youth are driving global classrooms, research labs, and innovation economies with the same confidence with which they are shaping India’s own growth story.”“International students come to the US to advance their education and contribute to US colleges and communities,” said Jason Czyz, Institute of International Education (IIE) president and CEO. “This data highlights the impact international students have in driving innovation, advancing scholarship, and strengthening cross-cultural understanding.”International students account for 6% of the total US higher education population. International students contributed nearly $55 billion to the US economy in 2024, according to the US department of commerce, and supported more than 3.5 lakh jobs across the US, according to NAFSA. The US remains the top destination for international students globally.Twelve of the top 25 countries sending international students reached their largest totals to date – Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, Ghana, India, Italy, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Spain, and Vietnam.For the upcoming admission season, US institutions are prioritising undergraduate outreach in Vietnam (55% of institutions which participated in the Snapshot survey), India (49%), Brazil (39%), and South Korea (39%). Colleges and universities focusing on graduate recruitment are as follows: India (57%), Vietnam (32%), China (28%), and Bangladesh (28%).The Snapshot Survey of Open Doors 2025 reveals an increase in undergraduates (+2%) and a decline in graduate (-12%) students. Due to several years of strong growth at the graduate level, OPT numbers continue to rise (+14%).
